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NEW recommendations to improve the safety of high-rise buildings have been issued by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The proposed changes – based on NIST’s investigation into the collapse of the World Trade Center – aim to improve the structural integrity and fire resistance of tall buildings, and to ensure better occupant evacuation and emergency response.
Among the recommendations, NIST calls for the adoption of standards and codes to prevent progressive collapse; more reliable means of predicting failure in buildings subjected to multiple hazards; and an improved technical basis for determining appropriate construction classifications and fire-rating requirements. There are further proposals covering active protection, evacuation, and emergency response.
The recommendations can be found on the NIST website
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